The B2 Crew is back to share some bonus tips for conference attendees to make the most of their experience. We had so many tips to share that we decided to expand the series for another post!
Whether you are attending a conference or speaking at one, these tips are sure to help you optimize your experience. Read on for our lightning round of conference tips and tricks!
Tip 1: Must-Haves For Your Bag
We feel these items speak for themselves. So, with no further explanation, conference attendees shouldn’t leave home without them!
- Hand Sanitizer: You will shake a lot of hands, so be prepared!
- Hand Lotion: After all that hand sanitizer, you may want the lotion to keep your skin from drying out.
- Gum or Mints: You will speak with a lot of fellow attendees, so make sure your breath is minty fresh.
- Water: Bring a reusable water bottle to refill throughout the day.
- Extra pens/notepad: You never know who else may need them, a great conversation starter!
- A sweater/blazer for those chilly rooms: If you work in an office – then you know!
- Business Cards (if you have them!) – Believe it or not, some folks still hand out cards the old fashioned way. Bring extra, if you’ve got them, and hand them out generously!
Tip 2: Power Savers = Instant Popularity!
Another great bonus tip for conference attendees is to never forget to bring a back-up battery pack and charger. Many conferences will provide charging stations on the tables, while others may not be set up to accommodate a large crowd. Social media gurus know all too well that battery life drains quickly when checking on our social platforms!
And, if you want to be the popular one in the crowd, bring a power strip so you can share an outlet with other attendees! (They’ll LOVE you for this thoughtful gesture!)
Tip 3: Be Prepared For Snack Attacks
A lot of conferences will provide you with meals and snacks, but you never know when hunger may strike! Plan ahead and keep those in your bag for “just in case” moments! And don’t forget to bring enough to share with those around you. It’s a great way to start up a conversation and keep your energy up during sessions.
Tip 4: Set Up Your OOO Reply
Make sure you have your out of office reply (OOO) set so clients and employees know your response time will be delayed while at the conference. Even better, include a link to the conference you are attending as well as the hashtag the event is using. Your colleagues and clients can follow along and get something out of it as well!
Tip 5: Get Ahead Of Your Assignments
This may seem obvious, but to make sure you can fully enjoy the conference, hit all your deadlines ahead of schedule. There’s nothing worse than attending a conference and not being able to focus because all you can think about is the project that’s due the following day.
If you know something is due around the conference time, be sure to get it done before, so you can be fully immersed in the event. You’ve blocked out time for this conference, so don’t do yourself a disservice by procrastinating in the weeks leading up to it.
Tip 6: Map It Out
Conference attendees should view the convention center map ahead of time. The last thing you need is to have to sprint to make it to back-to-back sessions. Know your surroundings ahead of time! And, if you are traveling a large distance to a conference, check the venues nearby as well. If there’s time for some sightseeing and exploring while you’re already there, then don’t pass that up!
Tip 7: You Can Sit With Us
Don’t sit alone at lunch. Put yourself out there and try to connect with a group when you’re on meal breaks. We realize this is the perfect time to hop on your phone and catch up on those important emails, but you should be fully present while attending a conference. This is the prime time to network with your peers. You never know who you will meet!
Tip 8: Find Your Conference
There are so many options for conferences to attend! Determine if you want to attend a large conference that spans days and has multiple sessions running simultaneously. Or, do you prefer a smaller, more intimate conference?
The benefits of a larger conference are obvious – you have the chance to see more speakers. This can be inspiring and fantastic! However, you are not often given the chance to truly network with those attending and speaking.
On the opposite side, our very own Hello Conference is right around the corner! This conference is a great example of a more intimate setting with outstanding speakers that you can connect with one-on-one. This year, the Hello Conference welcomes keynote speaker Matthew Sweezey along with Dale Bertrand, Abby Rogers, Katie Robert, Brooke Sellas, Jenn Herman, and Kerry O’Shea Gorgone. (HINT, HINT – tickets are still on sale, so don’t miss out on this one!).
Tip 9: Present Your Findings
Create a presentation for your team post-conference. Not only does this inspire them and share the knowledge with them, but it keeps it fresh in your mind as you revisit your notes. What can you and your team implement from the speakers you heard? Are there any new leads to follow up on?
Summing Up
We hope you found these tips helpful for attending your next conference! If you’re not sure why you should attend an industry conference, you should check out this great article from Forbes. There are so many reasons conferences are beneficial to you and your team and being prepared when attending will only optimize your experience for the better!
Let us know if you have bonus tips for conference attendees! Leave them in the comments below.
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2 Comments. Leave new
Thank you for sharing your tips!
short takeaways:
making slides:
– check dimension (4:3 or 16:9), stick to the theme, make sure color works in low contrast
– keep thing simple, one point per slide, use minimal text
– make every slide consistent, graphs should be distinctly differentiated
Thanks, Katelyn! Great point about creating slides as well.